Clutch-operating mechanism.



J. S. DETRICK.

PATBNTED FEB. 5, 1907.

CLUTCH` OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1904.

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l To-,aZZ whom it mrtg/ concerne PATENT OFFICE.

STATES" Speciilcatii'mi of Letters lllatent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1907.

Application led February '15, l1904. Serial No. 193.625. l

'Be it known that I, JACOB S. Darmon, a citizen of the United States, residing in Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutch-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is aspeciication.

While that operation of a clutch or like de` vice which serves to break the rotative continuity between twoarts" can ordinarily be stances thatga reverse operation, serving to establish such continuity, shall take lace at a relatively slow ratein 'order than t e tendency to create injurious stresses shall be minimized.

. The present inventionrelates to an organization of devices for operatinga clutch' in a manner such 'that the speed or -rate at whichv fthe parte are vbrought from an initial or disconnected condition to their ultimate or connected condition may be made tooccupy a period of suflicient duration to cause a grad? ual establishment of rotative continuity, and

in the specific embodiment ofthe invention practically instantaneous withoutinjury the` shown and described herein the operationof throwing in the clutch may by adjustment be made te consume a shorter' or a longer period, as desired. 4Inasmuch, moreover, as the o eration of. throwing out the clutch may e v aforesaid embodiment is not designed to efffet :a prolongation of the timejoecupied in '"11; Inthe" awing accompanying the present performin such act.

4 *specification the figure rillustrates one embodimento the present, invention, thisgure being mainly a sectional view illustrating f.- i-.zang l I I l ythrowing in of a clutch and a relatlvely more an organization for accomplishing a slow rapid-throwing out of the same.

j One feature of fthe present invention con- *1 lsiets,es`sentially, in an organizationofdevices ofaclutc V nuit'y between two parts, 'end .wn

' 'laced onop-v for accompllishlng'a relatively slow operation for alecting'the rotative contile there/is represented a air of clutthes Iposit'e sides o aclutch', actifia or lever (which in its full movement ne extreme position tothe other accomplishes the disj yconnection of one L., .connection of anot er part therewith) it is to -""'*be understood that b s'o illustrating al spe-rv .fciic'ada tation of t e invention it is not contemp ated that the general applicability art from a shaft and the of the latter shall be restrictedto the particular one illustrated. f

The present invention includes asone of its features means for exerting a retardant force in opposition to that movement of the clutch lever or actuator which in this instance accom lishes the throwing in or engagement of the clutch, and while, therefore, the force (here shown as exerted through the medium of a power-cylinder) urging the lever in such direction may be inamount such that without the retarding action of the retardant force the throwing in would occur` at a more rapid rate than that at which it is desired it should take place the application of the retardant force precludes over-quick action.

Specilically, the aforesaid retardant force may arise from the throttled llow of a liquid. The crosssectional area of the passage through which it is urged under the pressure of an advancing lungeror piston can preferably bo regulate whereby the desired rapidl ity with which the throwin -in movement of the clutch occurs may 'be olgatained. During the reverse or throwing-out movement of the clutch actuator or lever its movement is not retarded by the restricted llow of the liquid, and hence vsuch movement may occur comparatively rapidl Referrin toy the illustrated organization outlined a ove,v 2 2 designates a pair of clutches illustrated in a conventional wa and 'located upon opposite sides of a clutc actuator lbrlever 3 and servingl in this instance to connect respective, gear-wheels 4 4 .with and disconnect them from a shaft 5. -Thegear-wh'eels are mounted loosely upon` `the shaft and are each provided with a hub 6, journaled in a corresponding bearing 7, within (which the hub of the vgear-wheel is restrained romlongitudinal movement by the collar 8, secured to the hub.

Itis apparent that I do not propose limitinglthe application of the `present invention eit er to the use of gear-wheels and a shaft or to any particular construction of clutch. Sulice it'here to say in explanation of the particular -clutch lconstruction illustrated Y' that .the same comprises pairs of op osed friction-rings 9 and 10,- between whlc the web of the gear-wheel may be clamped by means of bo ts V13, engaged at corresponding ends With Vrespective heads 14, `fitting over 'the rings 9, washers and nuts 15 at the other lends-being seated upon levers 16, each'pivloteduat 17 to va proper bracket 18 on the -clutc i-bod 19, (secured'ito the'sliaft,)' the free e d o the lever 16 engagingwith alug 20 on a lever 21, pivoted at 22 to sald'bracket. A collar 23 on the shaft 5 is provided at 1ts ends with conical faces 2424, which'operateA upon the levers 21 when forced thereagainst -by the swinging clutch-operating lever 3 (this latter` lever having one or more pins 25 entering a groove 26 in thc collar) to wedge .the levers 215e. art, and therebyirmly clamp the gear-whee between the friction-rin sand 4'connect.suchrge'ar-wheel :with the c utch.

. body, and hence the shaft 5.

"sition both-I clutches will have been thrown.

out and thetwo gear-wheels disconnected from'the shaft 5. The movement of the lever fromy such position in either direction serves .to en age the gear-wheel on that side toward whic 1t moves with the shaft, while its .movement from its extreme position at either side serves to first disconnect one gearwheel from and .then connect the other gearwheel with the shaft.

. At its swinginglend Athe lever 3- is -toengage with a rod 29, ywhose op osite ends 1 are provided with pistonsv wor ing in va -power and a liquid cylinder, respectively.l

The`lever 3- is shownas having a forked end '39,.fitting-over a cross-pin 31 on the -rod 29.

A-.piston 32 on the. latter works within a I'power-cylinder 33, to which apressure'luid may be admittedon one side or the other of the piston by the proper shifting. of the conthe ro 29 is secured a piston 35, working in A' a liquid-cylinder 36, whose opposite ends are connected b a by-pass 37,-provided with an 'adiustable t ottling-valve 38. 1 The'liquidcylinder is not,l however, .filled entirely full with a suitable liquid,- since if it were the =.-lmovement ofy the le-ver 3 from one extreme .position tothe lother (during which movement7 it will be understood, the throwing out of one clutch and the throwin in of the other occurs) would proceed at a su stantially uniform rate-that is to. say, if the space between the throttling-valve'38 and the face of the piston when the latter is at either end of f the c linder 36 is entirely `filled with liquid the t owing yout ofone clutch will tend to .-take-.place'nofrnore rapidly .than the throwvzing'in of the other.

quantity of liquid is therefore put into -thecylinder 36, such that when the'piston 35 reaches its position midwayof the cylinder end (corres onding to -the middle position ofthe lever 3 the liquid in front'ofrthe advancing pistonO will have more or lessv` begun 'to pass under the driving force of the piston,through Athe restricted ori- `iice of thev throttling valve. During .the

'formed At the,opposite end of time, therefore, that the piston vis advancin from .one 4end--wfor instance, the left-han 'end' in the gure of the drawing-to substantially its middle position the retardant lforce retarding itsforward movement is small in comparison with that occurring during the 'completion of its stroke to the right in the igure. f From .this it is evident that the clutch at the left in the figure will be thrown out rapidly, While as thepiston advances Athe throwm -m movement of the clutch at the right Wi l'be comparatively sl'ow owin to the throttlin'g. 'action 4on the fluidas 1t is forced past the throttling-valve. During the more rapid movement of the .piston theair in the liquid-c linder-and'the `by-pass .37 is simply forced om in front of the advancing piston and over the surface of the liquid to the rear sidey of: the piston. 1 A similar cycle of operations will occur whenthe parts are caused to move. vin the opposite .direction through the shifting of the controlling-valve 34 for `the purpose of changing .the condition of the clutches.l The speed. at which the vthrowing-in operation occurs may manifestly be regulated by the adjustment ofthe throttling-valve, while the lever 3 maybe locked in its central position by. closing the valve, assuming the conditions'in the power-cylinder to be such as to maintain a pressure on the inclos'ed liquid.

Heretofore duplexclutoh mechanism operated by the shifting of 4a lever in opposite directions from an intermediate position has been controlled by means of resilient mem- 'bers or springs arrangedon both sides ofthelever, so that when shifted in either direction from such intermediate position a spring would oe compressed;l but this construction has the disadvantage that Athe spring -being placed under tension, if the lever is permitted to act freely, this spring will react and shift the lever back to the intermediate position and throw out the. clutch. Either the large amount of friction must be provided in the clutch or else a special locking mechanism arranged t'o revent this reaction of the spring. With this construction of a plicant, as herein set-forth, this objectional eature is entirely lovercome-,as the retardingy means that 4retard the movements ofthe lever. in either'directionI from its intermediate position is absolutely without any-reactive tendency of power tending to return the lever to the normal intermediate position and throw out the clutch. At the sameV timel the-lever is entirely free to be moved from either of its end positions to the intermediate throwing out the clutch.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-` 1. .A clutch-operating mechanism. having means for retarding the throwing-in movement of the clutch while permitting .the relatively rapid throwing-out movement thereof,

ICE

IlO

position,

v throwing-out-movemontthereofziscomparai that the throwingin movementofthe clutch partially filledwithfliquid, and a piston-,j.said go-'actator being;` :connected with the.g''icorref-y `tons-an cylinders; ay-passfleadingg'romand athrottling evicezin suchb -pa ss,; the

iilled with li uid and provi ed with" the li uid-cylinder to the other; and a'.fth`1.o"t` k l .being such thatV the throwing-in movement `of the ends of 'saidcylinden for eflecting'a slow]v throwing-in movement -of the actuator-and*aiforgretardin the action of said power-cylin-` der du lt ethrowing-in movement-o thev ,I 4 combination of a clutchyablutchactuator; aa' cylinder artiallyll'ed with liquid; a piston; one of w ich klatter twofmeinbersjris connecte .ed@teammates-fend combination of 'a clutch; aiclutchaetuatorl' a throwing-out movement thereofI riscomparasuch mlaans'comprising'a' liquidfcylinder pare tially illed with liqui a piston therein, and throttled means connecting said cylinder at opposite sides of said piston. 1 Y

. 2. In--a clutch-operatinglqineelia` ns'forfthrottlinf the flow of a'liqi l cv'liitiderlinduce by the movementofjthe actuatonthejorganization being such thati'ththrowing-in lInovement of thegjclutch -is retarded', "while the 3. In a clutch-.operating mecl1'a`n`ism,'` 'the combinationo a clutch; a clutch-actuator; a piston; -a liquid-cylinder partially illed with i uid, .to one Voi which latter twomembers said actuator is connected; and xafthr'ttled by-pass connecting onefend of thefcylinder wit the other, the`organizationfbeingsuch is .relatively slow 'whilev fthesthrowing-out movement thereof is comparativelyrapid'- 1 In a clutch operating;mechanisrnjjthe spondin fparts of both owerandliqiiid pis'- one end of the li uid-cylinde'rrto.thefother;-

organization being such' that the t owing-in. movement of the clutch is retarded-While the j tivelyrapid. y ,v y,

5. -The combination ofa clutch; afelutchx operating lever; `:a yowerfcylinder'` provided with a piston; a i iquid-c linder Vf.'p gt r-iaxitll iston; said pistons eingconnected bya iston-r and-saidlever being connected wit `i ton-rod; ahy-.pass leading from oneien lof tling evice in such by-pass, the organization"- ing-out movement thereof-is comparatively, e rapid.

6. The combination av clutch and f a l;-

clutch-actuaton'of means comprising aliq. fd;

c linder-partiall :filled with liquid, apiston` tA erein, andv a t ottled by-passfconneotiug rapidthrowin -out movement thereof. A v7. AThe com ination,with :af-clutch! and a; clutch-actuator, of a-"pwer-cylinder V.for ac-v tuating the latter; and fluid-controlled means ,wie

of the Acylinder-and .said by-pass. i 13. 'A .du lexfclutch mechanism' "having actuator om which retardin action'the' power-cylinder is freed-,during t e throwingyout movement the means for retarding.

the action ofthe power-cylinder. l l v s. The combination wah a clutch and a clutch-operating lever, cfa power-cylinderA forac'tiialting the lever;and means 'for'retardl theaction of said power-c linder during the .throwing-in movement o -`the actuator Vfrom which retarding action the power-cylinv "deris freed during the throwing-out move-- fnfienl'flbyl the means for retarding the action rofthe ower-c lindensaid means comprising kaliqui -cylin er partlally filled with liquid, a piston, and a throttled by-pass connecting the ends of the cylinder. v

9. The combination with a pair of 'clutchesi of afclutch-actuator adapted during a` ful movement to throw out one clutch and throw in the other a power-c 1linder for actuating the actuator; anda Hui -controlled retarding device connected'with said lever and veil'ective to secure `a relatively rapid throwing-out lmovement'of one clutch, and a relatively retardedfthroWing-in movement of the other clutch. 1

. vflOfThe combination with a i air of clutches, ofcaclutch-actuator adapte durin a full movement to throwo'ut one clutch an throw in 'the other; `apower-cylinder for actuflting imtuator; piston' connected with .-sa1d1actuator,"said pistonworkig ing, e vder: artially filled with liquid;g -and9,-1, "ot,

tledl y'p'ass Aconnecting the opposite' ends of the latter cylinder. Y

11. 'ihe combination oft, a shaft; a pair of f clutches disposed longitudinally ofthe shaft; alever mounted between the clutches: and

:adapted 1to1 opeilate the clutches; apowercylinder and' "aliquid-cylinder partially filled"r liquid; and each provided with a piston tonfrod connecting the two pistons an 'ch-*said lever is connected; a b -pass connecting? the lo osite ends of 'said-"li,

uid- 3 cylinder-endet ottlingvdeviceinf-sai lby-` 5' ,saidLlever connects; aI power-cylinder andsaliquid-cylindereach providedrwitha' piston;

afpiston-rocl connectmgjsaid pistons andgto i x,

lfnefcting the op lwhich" vsaid lever is'- onnected af lay-pass11011A 'i 'A osite ends ofthellquidf lilder; athrottlA Jdevice interposed-miseri 'by- -in-.rnovement of one clutch movement of the o er clutch, saidmeans 1inder less involume'- than the cubicjcontent j 51:25

means for e ecting a relatively slow throw-l While perynntting a vrelativel rapid f throwing-out comprising a cylinder partially filled with liquid, la piston therein, and a throttled by-` pass connecting said cylinder at opposite sides of `said piston.

5 14. The combination with a clutch and operating mechanism therefor, of means organized to retard the throwing-in movement of.

the clutch Without affecting in any manner the throwing-out movement thereof.

:o 15. The combination with a clutch and operating mechanism therefor, of means for' uniformly retarding the entire throwing-in movement of the elutclrwithout affecting in any manner the throwing-out movement of' i5 the clutch.

16. The combination with a clutch and operating mechanism therefor, of a fluid-controlled device organizedto retard the throwing-in movement of the clutch Without affecter; ing the throwing-out movement thereof.

17. The combination With a clutch and operatin mechanism' therefor, of a 1i uid-controlle device organized to uniform y retard the entire. throwing-in movement of the 5 `clutch without affecting in any manner the throwing-out movement thereof.

18. The combination with a duplex clutch mechanism and a common operating member therefor, lof means connected With the o erating member and organized to retard tfie 'throwing-in movement of e'ach clutch Without affecting the throwing-out movement of the clutch.

19. The combination With a duplex clutch,y 3 5 mechanism and a common operating member therefor, of means connected With the operating member and organized to uniformly retard the entire throwing-in movement of each clutch Without affecting the throwingout movement of the clutch.

20. The combination with a duplex clutch mechanism, and a common operating member therefor organized to throw in one clutch when advanced from an Iintermediate position and to throw in the other clutch when advanced in the opposite direction from said intermediate osition, both clutches being Vthrown out w en the member is in such intermediate position of means connected with said member and organized to retard the throwing-in movement of the member in Aeach direction from said intermediate position without affecting the throwing-out movement of the member from either position to the intermediate position.

21. The combination with a duplex clutch mechanism, and a common operating member therefor organized to throw in one clutch when advanced from an intermediate position and to throw in the other clutch when advanced in the opposite direction from saidv Iintermediate position, both clutches being 

